Access Radio 783AM - History of Access Radio

History of Access Radio

Access Radio was the first community radio station to be established in New Zealand. The station began under the auspices of Radio New Zealand, in April 1981, broadcasting throughout the greater Wellington region on Radio New Zealand's 2YB transmitter. Since 1981 the station's airtime has risen from a largely experimental three hours weekly, to 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

Access Radio remained under the patronage of Radio New Zealand until July 1993, when the Wellington Access Radio Broadcasting Society Incorporated took over the ownership and management of the station. Radio New Zealand relinquished the 783AM frequency and assisted the station in the purchase and installation of its own 10kw transmitter.

Access Radio now has over eighty programmes in twenty-five different languages. We have a four-weekly schedule with programmes broadcasting on a daily, weekly, fornightly or once-a-month basis. The frequency is also used by Samoa Capital Radio, who broadcast 38 hours of programming each week.